Assignment M7: Video Review

Prairie Style (Frank Lloyd Wright) Key Points

• Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect that did most of his work in the late 1890’s and early 1900’s.  
• His style was closely related to nature.
• He used a strong sense of geometry to emulate themes in nature.
• He believed that houses should have a strong sense of “shelter”.
• The houses he designed had no basements or attics.
• He was one of the first American architects to create homes with an open concept living space.
• The hearth or fireplace was specifically central to the home in many of his designs.
• He worked with a large team of people to design and actually build his houses.

Architecture: The Science of Design

• Limited building space in cities prompted the extreme vertical construction of buildings.
• Skyscrapers are mainly constructed using steel, concrete, and glass.
• High rise buildings have study substructures to keep them grounded and from sinking into the earth.
• All buildings sway when they are met with high gusts of wind.
• There are smart homes, where all of a homes appliances are connected to one computer.
• Concrete is widely used because it is flexible, and can take on the shape of nearly any mold. It is also sturdy and inexpensive.

I enjoyed the films. They helped me understand a little more about the logistics that go into architecture beyond the design of a structure, and more along the lines of creating a building. The “Architecture: The Science of Design” video was almost laughably dated with its depiction of a “smart home”, since nowadays it is so common for people to have devices that control the appliances in their homes on their phones. I chose the films I watched because I wanted to learn more about what actually goes into getting a building built. I have also seen many examples of Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the Hudson Valley, and it was interesting to learn more about how they were designed.